Jig assembly with automatic unlocking cam



March 1965 J. c. JUREIT ETAL JIG ASSEMBLY WITH AUTOMATIC UNLOCKING CAMFiled April 29, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS.

JOHN C. JUREIT THEODORE J. BOWMAN A TTORNE Y5:

Mar h 8, 9 J. c. JUREIT ETAL JIG ASSEMBLY WITH AUTOMATIC UNLOCKING- CAMFiled April 29, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet :3

INVENTOILSZ JOHN C JURE IT Ill:-

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BY THEODORE J. BOWMAN w wn A TTORNE Y3.

United States Patent 3,238,867 HQ ASSEMBLY WITH AUTOMATIC UNLDCKING CAMIiohn C. Jureit and Theodore J. Bowman, Miami, Fla, assignors toAutomated Building Components, Inc., Miami, Fla, a corporation ofFlorida Filed Apr. 29, 1963, Ser. No. 276,389 Claims. (Cl. 100214) Thisinvention relates to a jig for use in assembling prefabricated woodenstructural members and more particularly relates to an improved jigwhich is uniquely constructed to provide for rapid loading andunloading.

In recent years, the building trades have shown a marked trend towardprefabrication, particularly in the construction of relatively low-costresidential housing. Various portions of frame houses have beenpreassem'bled in this fashion, the most common prefabricated elementprobably being the monoplane roof truss. This prefabrication itself hasundergone an evolution from hand-nailing and bolting of the roof of theroof truss to the vastly improved method of construction which was madepossible by the advent of structural butt joints formed with unitaryconnector plates of the type described in United States Patent No.2,877,520, issued March 17, 1959.

In practically all monoplane roof truss assemblages, even the earliertype utilizing hand-nailing, it has been desirable, if not necessary, topro-assemble the wooden structural elements on some type of frame or jigwhich held the elements in the proper position for the application ofthe connector devices. Where connector plates of the type described inUnited States Patent No. 2,877- 520 were utilized it became feasible toform an entire truss in a single pressing operation by assembling thewooden truss elements in a jig with connector plates on both sides ofthe butt joints and then subjecting the assemblage to pressure in asuitable press. One such press is illustrated in United States patentapplication Serial No. 66,999, filed November 3, 1960, for ConcretePress, now Patent No. 3,079,607, dated March 5, 1963.

In copending application Serial No. 228,662, filed October 5, 1962,there is disclosed an improved universal "g which is capable ofpreforming a wide variety of different shapes and types of roof trusseswith only minor resetting of the jig. In that construction, provision ismade for locking the wooden truss members in position by means ofquick-acting cams which permit relatively rapid loading and unloading ofthe jig.

According to the present invention it has now been found that theloading and unloading procedure involved with a jig of the typedisclosed in application Serial No. 228,662, may be even furtherexpedited and speed through the use of a unique semi-automatic camdevice. That is to say, in the jig assembly of the present invention thewooden members are held in position by means of camming devices whichmust be manually operated in order to lock the wood in position.However, after that is done, the unlocking is no longer manual as wasthe case in the past, but is now automatically accomplished upon closureof the press which presses the connector plates into po sition.

It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to providean improved jig assembly for prefabricating wooden structures.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved jigassembly for prefabricating wooden structures wherein the jig assemblyincludes a semi-automatic means for locking and unlocking the woodenmembers of the wooden structures in position.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved jigassembly for prefabricating wooden structures including a means forlocking the wooden members in 3,238,867 Patented Mar. 8, 1966 "iceposition and then automatically unlocking the wooden members after thetruss is formed.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved device forlocking lumber in butted fashion for the formation of a connector jointwherein the device is automatically unlocked after the joint is formed.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved jigassembly for prefabricating wooden structures wherein the jig assemblyis universal in nature to permit the manufacture of a large variety ofdifferent size and shape wooden structures on the same jig without majormodification of the jig itself.

It is another object of the invention to provide a universal jigassembly of the foregoing type having semiautomatic means for lockingthe wooden members in position so as to facilitate rapid loading andunloading of the jig with a minimum of labor.

These and further objects and advantages of the invention will becomemore apparent upon reference to the following specification and claimsand the appended drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a universal jig assembly constructedaccording to the invention showing wooden structural members clamped inplace by means of the clamp of the invention preparatory to theformation of a gable type truss assembly;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of a semi-automatic locking device showing thelocked and unlocked positions relative to a wooden member forming a buttjoint;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section, partly in elevation, taken substantiallyalong the line 33 of FIGURE 1, showing the locking device of FIGURE 2mounted on a reaction pad in the jig assembly of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a vertical section of a portion of the locking device takenon the line 44 of FIGURE 2.

Referring to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, there is shown a universal jigassembly of the type described in copending application Serial No.228,662. This jig assembly, which is illustrated generally at Itcomprises a jig pad or pallet 12 formed of a large heavy sheet of metalor of a thin sheet of metal suitably reinforced, or of any othersuitable structural material upon which the elements of the jig may bemounted. For purposes of clarity, only the center and lefthand portionof the complete jig assembly are shown. It is to be realized, however,that the complete assembly consists of a righthand portion which isconstructed substantially as a mirror image of the lefthand portionalong the broken line 13.

Mounted at the center of the jig pad 12 and extending transversely andvertically thereacross is a stationary vertical peak guide bar 14 whichcarries a peak reaction pad 16 slidably mounted 'for movement thereon.Extending perpendicular to the peak guide 14 along the entire length ofthe jig pad 12 are a series of stationary guide bars generally indicatedat 18. These guide "bars consist of a heel guide bar 20 which terminatesat 22 where it abuts the 1/3 point guide bar 24 which extends to thecenter of the jig pad. A heel reaction pad 26 is slidably mounted on theheel guide bar 20 while a 1/ 3 point reaction pad 28 and a splicereaction pad 30 are mounted on the 1/ 3 point guide bar 24.

The stationary guide bars 14, 2t) and 24 are identical in constructionand are illustrated in FIGURE 3 which represents a cross section throughthe splice guide bar 24 along the line 33 of FIGURE 1. Referring to FIG-URE 3, it will be seen that the guide bar 24 consists of an elongatedmetal strip having flanges 32 which give the strip a generally T-shapedcross section. The guide bar may be secured to the jig pad in anysuitable manner, such as by bolting, welding or riveting.

The splice reaction pad 30 consists of a metal plate 34 secured to abacking plate 36 which may be formed of metal or a suitable compositionhardboard such as Masonite. The plate 36 may be fastened to the plate 34by bolting, welding or riveting and is of substantially the samethickness as the guide 'bar 24. The splice reaction pad is slidablysecured to the guide bar 24 by a pair of metal strips 38 and 40 havingflanges 42 and 44 which matingly engage the flanges 32 on the guide bar.The strips 38 and 40 are secured to the splice reaction pad 30 in anysuitable manner, such as by means of countersunk Allen-headed screwspassing from the upper surface of the plate 34 into the strips so thatthe screw heads are readily accessible from the top of the reaction pad.These screws may be tightened to lock the reaction pad in position onthe guide bar or may be loosened to permit sliding .motion of thereaction pad relative to the guide bar.

Running along the centerline of the guide bar 24 is a channel in whichthere is mounted a tape 46 hearing suitable indicia, such as foot andinch markings. Referring to FIGURE 1, an elongated slot 48 is providedin the splice reaction pad 30 directly above the tape 46. A suitablepointer is provided adjacent the slot 48 so that the reaction pad may beaccurately located at any predetermined position along the guide bar 24.Details of one suitable pointer construction are disclosed in copendingapplication Serial No. 228,662.

The heel reaction pad 26 and the 1/3 point reaction pad 28 are providedwith similar slots and pointers indicated generally at 50 and 52inFIGURE 1.

Referring to the cross section of the splice reaction pad shown inFIGURE 3, an elongated angle 54 having a base 56 and an upstandingflange 58 is afiixed to the splice reaction pad plate 34 by means of apair of screws 60 having Allen heads. The width or height of theupstanding flange 58 must be greater than the length of the teeth in theconnector plate to be used so that the lumber will abut the flange 58when mounted on top of the teeth in order that one step pressing may beaccomplished.

The upstanding flange 58 of the angle 54 is adapted to engage the chord62 of a roof truss to resist locking pressure applied by asemi-automatic locking device illustrated generally at 64.

Referring to FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, the locking device 64 consists of acylindrical barrel 66 having a pair of base plates 68 and 70 welded orotherwise secured to the bottom area as seen in FIGURE 3. Slidablymounted within the barrel 66 is a pressure plunger generally indicatedat 72 and consisting of a tube 74 having an arcuate plate 76 weldedthereto. Mount-ed in the other end of the barrel 66 is a sliding plungerblock 78 having a vertical diametral bore 80 therein. Received withinthe diametral bore 80 is a locking plunger 82 which is biased upwardlyby means of a plunger spring 84 in the bottom of the bore 80, thelocking plunger abutting against the inside surface of the barrel in theposition shown in FIGURE 4.

' Still referring to FIGURE 4, an aperture 86 of substantially the samediameter as the plunger 82 is formed in the upper surface of the barrelto the right of the position of the plunger shown in FIGURE 4. Anelongated release spring 88 is fastened to the upper side of the barrel66, as by welding at the point 90, and has at its other end a dimple 92positioned immediately over the apertule 86.

Projecting from the left end of the barrel 66 in FIG- URES 2, 3 and 4are a pair of arms 94 and 96 in which is mounted a pivot pin 98. Thepivot pin 98 rotatably supports an eccentrically mounted circular cam100 having an actuating handle 102 projecting from the peripherythereof. A plunger spring 104 is mounted within the tube 74 of thepressure plunger 72 and simultaneously urges the pressure plunger to theright in FIGURE 4 and the plunger block 78 to the left into engagementwith the cam 100.

When the cam 100 is in the unlocked position shown in solid lines inFIGURES 2, 3 and 4 prior to loading the jig assembly, the plunger block78 abuts the cam as 1s seen in FIGURE 4. If the cam is now rotated in aclockwis direction by moving its handle 102 to the broken line positionshown in FIGURE 2, the plunger block 78 is moved to the right andpressure is applied to the pressure plunger 72 by means of the plungerspring 104. When the locking plunger 82 becomes aligned with theaperture 86 the plunger is forced into the aperture by the spring 34thereby locking the plunger 'block in position. The cam 100 may then bereturned to the unlocked position shown in full lines in FIGURES 2 and 3and the plunger 82 will retain the plunger block in its rightmostposition as shown in FIGURE 3.

It will be recognized that in this position, the pressure plunger 72 isapplying pressure to the wooden member 62 to retain it in positionagainst the upstanding flange 58 of the angle 54. If the release spring88 is now depressed so that the dimple 92 enters the aperture 86 andforces the locking plunger 82 downwardly, the plunger block 78 isreleased and is forced to the left by the pressure plunger spring 104 torelease the wooden member 62, as will presently be described in furtherdetail.

The locking device 64 is held in position on the splice reaction pad 30by means of a pair of clamps 106 and 108 which are fastened to the plate34 by means of Allenheaded screws 110 and 112. Loosening of the screws110 and 112 permits the locking device to be slidably moved along theaxis of the pressure plunger to permit the locking devices and reactionpads to be used with lumber of different thicknesses.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, a pair of parallel vertical stationary guidebars 114 and 116 are disposed near the center and left end of the jigpad respectively and provide an adjustable mounting for a horizontal 1/4 point movable guide bar 118. The left end of the movable guide bar 118is attached to a connector plate 120 by a pin 122 received in a slot 124in the connector plate. The connector plate itself is slidably securedto the guide bar 116 by means of flanged strips of the same typeillustrated in connection with the splice reaction pad 30 in FIGURE 3,and a slot 126 is provided in the connector plate 120 to view a tape 128carried by the vertical stationary guide bar 116. The right end of themovable guide bar 118 is pivotably secured to a second connector plate130 by a pin 132. The connector plate 130 is slidably mounted on thevertical guide bar 114 in the same manner as the plate 120 and is alsoprovided with a viewing slot (not shown) for positioning the connectorplate 130 relative to a tape 134 in the vertical guide bar 114.

The construction of the 1/4 point guide bar 118 with the slottedconnection at the left end and the pivoted connection at the right endpermits easy movement of the bar by one man. That is to say, theconnector plates 120 and 130 may be separately moved without resultingin binding and without the necessity of one man at each connector plate.

A 1/4 point reaction pad 136 is slidably mounted on the movable 1/4point guide bar 118 in the same manner that the splice reaction pad isaflixed to the 1/3 point guide bar as illustrated in FIG. 3. The l/ 4point reaction pad 136 carries a lumber positioning pin 138 and alocking device 140 similar to the locking device 64 on the splicereaction pad. The 1/3 point reaction pad 28 mounted on the l/3 pointguide bar 24 carries no cam but has a lumber positioning pin 142 mountedthereon. The heel reaction pad 26 and the 1/ 3 point reaction pad 28 areprovided with angles 144 and 146 similar to the angle 54 on the splicereaction pad 30.

The heel reaction pad 26 is also provided with a locking device 148while the peak reaction pad 16 is provided with a pair of lockingdevices 150 and 152. The peak reaction pad also contains a series oflumber positioning pins 154. The splice reaction pad 30 contains, inaddition to the locking device 64, a second locking device 156.

The jig of this invention is intended for use in the manufacture ofmonoplane roof trusses joined with structural butt joints of the typedescribed in US. Patent No. 2,877,520. These particular joints areformed from butted wooden members held together by unitary connectorplates which serve as the sole stress transmitting elements between thebutted wooden members. Two such plates are shown in cross section inFIGURE 3. As will he been, these plates consist of bases 153 and 160from which are struck a series of slender elongated and naillike teeth162 and 164 which serve the dual function of transmitting shear stress,while at the same time providing necessary withdrawal resistance to holdthe plate in position on the wooden members.

In utilizing the jig of the invention, a series of plates of this typeare spotted on the reaction pads on the jig pad with the teeth extendingupwardly prior to setting the wooden members on the reaction pads. Thewooden members are then disposed on top of the teeth of the plates, ason top of the teeth 164, and a second set of connector plates is thenlaid on top of the wooden members with the teeth directed downwardly sothat a single pressing operation is effective to completely form theroof truss.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the jig is shown as being set up to produce agable type truss consisting of bottom or tie chords 62 and 166, topchords 168 and 170, and web members 172, 174 and 176, the righthand endof the truss being a mirror image of the left side of the truss. Insetting up the jig assembly to produce a gable type truss of this type,the following steps are taken.

With the desired dimensions of the truss known, the various reactionpads are properly positioned along the guide bars according topreviously recorded data by simply aligning the pointers on therespective reaction pads with the appropriate indicia on the underlyingtape. The heel reaction pad 26 is placed at a point representing the endof the bottom chord or tie beam 62 and the U3 point reaction pad ispositioned at approximately one-third the length down the bottom chordat the point where the web members 172 and 174 meet the bottom chord 62.The splice reaction pad is positioned to hold together the two pieces oflumber which form the bottom chord. The peak reaction pad 16 ispositioned so as to hold together the top chords 168 and 170 and the webmembers 174 and 176.

The l/ 3 point reaction pad 136 is moved both vertically (by moving theconnector plates and along guide bars 116 and 114) and horizontally (bymovement of the reaction pad 136 along the movable guide bar 113) to theposition where the web member 172 abuts the top chord 168. Each of thereaction pads are then secured in place on their respective guide barsby tightening their various locking screws or bolts.

Suitable connector plates are then dropped onto the various reactionpads where they are positioned by any suitable locating means such asthat illustrated in copending application Serial No. 228,662.

The various chord and web members used to form the truss are then placedon the jig over these plates and are secured in position by lock-ing thevarious locking devices 64, 140, 148, 150, 152 and 156. This isaccomplished by moving the handles 102 on the locking devices from theposition shown in solid lines in FIGURE 2 to the position shown indashed lines in that figure. This moves the arcuate plate 76 on the endsof the pressure plungers 72 from the broken line position shown inFIGURE 2 to the solid line position to hold the lumber in the desiredrelationship.

As the handle 102 reaches the broken line position shown in FIGURE 2,the locking plunger 82 (FIGURES 3 and 4) snaps into the aperture 86 inthe barrel 66 thereby loeking the plunger block 78 in its rightmostposition (FIGURE 3) and forcing the pressure plunvgers against thelumber to hold the lumber in position. The handle 102 is now moved fromthe broken line position shown in FIGURE 2 to the solid line position toready the locking devices for automatic unlocking.

The truss is now jigged and ready for pressing and may be placed betweenthe platens 178 and 180 of any suitable press, as is seen in FIGURE 3.As the platen 178 descends it presses the teeth 162 and 164 of theconnector plates into the wooden member 62 to form the desired buttjoints. At the very termination of the press stroke, the platen 17 8engages the end of the release spring 88 on the locking device therebyforcing the dimple 92 into the aperture 86 to depress the lockingplunger 82 and release the plunger block '78. The plunger block 78thereby springs to the unlocked position under the influence of theplunger spring 104 and the now completed truss is ready for removal fromthe jig immediately upon its withdrawal from the press.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the jig and locking devicesof this invention greatly facilitate the unloading of completed trussesfrom the jig assembly and thereby speed the rate of truss production.The locking devices are simple in construction and are rugged anddurable in nature so as to require practically no maintenance. As aresult, the jig assembly and locking devices of the invention providefor the more rapid economical production of roof trusses or any othermonoplane prefabricated structural elements.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrativeand not restrict-ive, the scope of the invention being indicated by theappended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and allchanges which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States lettersPatent is:

1. A jig assembly for holding wooden members in predetermined positionsduring a pressing operation carried out by a press having a pressingmember movable in a first direction, said jig assembly including a jigpad and a locking means on said pad, said locking means comprising afixed member against which a first wooden member may be abutted, and amovable member movable in a second direction different than said firstdirection into engagement with a second wooden member to lock it aganstthe reaction of said fixed member, actuating means for said movablemember to move it into locking position, and release means for releasingsaid movable member in response to movement of said press in said firstdirection whereby, upon release, said movable member is free to move ina direction opposite to said second direction.

2. A jig assembly for holding wooden members in predetermined positionsduring a pressing operation carried out by a press, including a jig padand at least one locking means on said pad, said locking meanscomprising a member fixed to said pad against which a wooden member maybe abutted, and a movable member movable into engagement with a woodenmember to lock it against the reaction of said fixed member, actuatingmeans associated with said movable member to move it into lockingposition, a press for acting on said wooden member and release means forreleasing said movable member when said release means is engaged by saidpress.

3. A jig assembly for holding wooden member-s in predetermined positionsduring a pressing operation, including a jig pad and a plurality oflocking means on said pad, at least a plurality of said locking meansbeing mounted for sliding motion over said pad, each said locking meanscomprising a reaction pad, a stop member atfixed to said reaction padagainst which a wooden member may be abutted, and a movable member onsaid reaction pad movable into engagement with a wooden member to lock'3 it against the reaction of said stop member, actuating means for saidmovable member to move it into locking position, a press for acting onsaid wooden member, and release means for said movable member forreleasing said movable member in response to movement of the pressaccomplishing said pressing operation.

4. A jig assembly as set out in claim 3 including elongated guide barssecured to said jig pad, said reaction pads mounted for sliding motionover said jig pad being slidably mounted on said guide bars.

5. A jig assembly as set out in claim 3 wherein said locking means areadjust-ably mounted on said reaction pads.

6. A jig assembly for holding wooden members in predetermined positionsduring a pressing operation carried out by a press having a pressingmember movable in a first direction, including, a jig pad, a reactionpad adjustably mounted on said jig pad for movement in at least onedirection perpendicular to said first direction, a fixed member mountedon said reaction pad and adapted to have a first wooden member buttedagainst it, a movable member movable into engagement with a secondwooden member to lock it against the reaction of said fixed member, saidmovable member moving in a second direction different than said firstdirection, cam means associated with said movable member to tense aspring to lock said movable member, and release means for releasing thetension of said spring and unlocking said movable member when saidrelease means is engaged and moved by said press whereby said movablemember is free to move in a direction opposite to said second direction.

-7. A jig assembly as set out in claim 6 wherein said movable membercomprises a wood engaging plate attached to a slide, said slide matinglyengaging a mounting member, a block slidably mounted in said mountingmember, a spring between said block and plate unging said block andplate in different directions, said cam member being eifective to tensesaid spring.

8. A jig assembly as set out in claim 6 wherein said movable membercomprises a wood engaging plate attached to one end of a tube, a barrelslidably receiving the other end of said tube, a plunger block slidablymounted in the other end of said barrel, a spring in said tube andabutting said plunger block to urge said plate and block in differentdirections, said cam engaging said block to move it into said barrel totense said spring.

9. A jig assembly as set out in claim 8 wherein said release meanscomprises a locking plunger slidably mounted in said block and springurged into engagement with the inside of said barrel, said barrel havingan aperture therein through which said locking plunger is moved whensaid spring is tensed to lock said block in position, said release meansincluding means for moving said locking plunger back out of saidaperture on operation of said press to release said block.

10. A jig assembly as set out in claim 9 wherein said last named meanscomprises an elongated spring attached to said barrel and overlying saidaperture, said spring having a projection overlying said aperture andadapted to enter said aperture to move said locking plunger out of saidaperture.

11. A reaction pad for a jig assembly comprising a fixed member adaptedto have a wooden member butted against it, a movable member movable intoengagement with a wooden member to lock it against the reaction of saidfixed member, cam means associated with said movable member to tense aspring to lock said movable member, and release means for releasing thetension of said spring and unlocking said movable member when saidrelease means is caused to move.

12. A reaction pad as set out in claim 11 wherein said movable membercomprises a wood engaging plate attached to a slide, said slide matinglyengaging a mounting member, a block slidably mounted in said mountingmember, a spring between said block and plate urging said block andplate in different directions, said cam member being effective to tensesaid spring.

13. A reaction pad as set out in claim 11 wherein said movable membercomprises a wood engaging plate attached to one end of a tube, a barrelslidably receiving the other end of said tube, a plunger block slidablymounted in the other end of said barrel, a spring in said tube andabutting said plunger block to urge said plate and block in differentdirections, said cam engaging said block to move it into said barrel totense said spring.

14. A reaction pad as set out in claim 13 wherein said release meanscomprises a locking plunger slidably mounted in said block and springurged into engagement with the inside of said barrel, said barrel havingan aperture therein through which said locking plunger is moved whensaid spring is tensed to lock said block in position, said release meansincluding means for moving said locking plunger back out of saidaperture to release said block.

15. A reaction pad as set out in claim 14 wherein said last named meanscomprises an elongated spring attached to said barrel and overlying saidaperture, said spring having a projection overlying said aperture andadapted to enter said aperture to move said locking plunger out of saidaperture.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 814,200 3/1906Gibson 83-384 1,430,226 9/1922 Goodreau 269208 X 2,983,292 5/1961McKinley 144288 WILLIAM W. DYER, JR., Primary Examiner.

ROBERT C. RIORDON, Examiner.

2. A JIG ASSEMBLY FOR HOLDING WOODEN MEMBERS IN PREDETERMINED POSITIONSDURING A PRESSING OPERATION CARRIED OUT BY A PRESS, INCLUDING A JIG PADAND AT LEAST ONE LOCKING MEANS ON SAID PAD, SAID LOCKING MEANSCOMPRISING A MEMBER FIXED TO SAID PAD AGAINST WHICH A WOODEN MEMBER MAYBE ABUTTED, AND A MOVABLE MEMBER MOVABLE INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH A WOODENMEMBER TO LOCK IT AGAINST THE REA-